


Falling in love

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [159]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, prephlint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 21:00:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3148397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where there is an epiphany for Phil Coulson</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling in love

He didn’t look any different from how he usually looked during missions - clad in his boots, cargo pants, and tac vest with only a shirt underneath to protect him from the early winter night. His bow slung against his back and his quiver lay low against his hip - so Phil Coulson doesn’t know what it was about that moment that made him realize,  _Fuck, I’m so in love with him._

Maybe it was the way the snow dusted his blond hair. Maybe it was the way the light from the helicopter that just dropped Coulson off hit his features. Maybe it was the way he smiled at Coulson after a job well done. Phil didn’t really care. All he knew was that this was the man that held his heart.

He should be terrified at the mere thought of being so emotionally vulnerable but he’s not. If anything, he feels happy, relieved and content to know that the attraction he’s feeling toward Clint was something that went past the physical, that he’s  _in love_  with Clint.

"Good job, Barton." Phil says belatedly when he realized that he’s been staring at the archer.

"Thanks, sir." Clint replied, his grin growing wider at the compliment. "Could’ve gone better though." Although that was true in this case - what with standing a midst the only standing structure in the mile wide radius of rubble that was once an AIM facility - Clint said that after every mission. Phil didn’t hate it, of course. He loved the idea that Clint had input after every mission on how to better their operations. The problem was that Clint often blamed himself for what was clearly another person’s fault despite Phil’s telling him so, using phrases like ‘But he wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t-‘. Phil didn’t get it sometimes, Clint Barton is an exemplary specialist. SHIELD’s best, even.

A gust of wind interrupted Phil’s thoughts. Even under the suit, he still felt the chill. He glanced back down at what Clint was wearing and concluded that the archer must be freezing.

Coulson gave him a curt nod, “Dismissed Agent Barton. Why don’t you head back to base and warm yourself up. Debrief won’t be another 5 hours. You must be cold.”

Clint snorted. Phil watched as the white huff of the archer’s breath formed and disappeared in front of him. “Don’t worry about me, sir. I can handle a little cold.” His eyes danced with mirth and amusement. Phil watched those very same eyes and wondered why he never saw the colors that seemed to make his face look brighter.

There were specks of yellow, and brown, the dominant was still a soft shade of blue but Phil could see the green hidden underneath the many others. Phil found himself falling deeper in love with this man as seconds went by.

"Besides, the retrieval team is going to need help with finding things that might be of use. I’ll stay here and help out." Clint said with a tone of finality.

Phil didn’t argue. He didn’t see the need to. Clint knew what he was doing and could take care of himself. He gave the archer a nod and went to join the retrieval team on the ground.

That night, Phil Coulson found out that he’s in love with Clint Barton but that didn’t mean he was delusional enough to think that he had a chance.

—-

Clint watched the man haunting his dreams walk away. He turned his gaze toward the mass of rubble littering the ground. With a sigh, he opened the case for his recurve, and placed her there. She did a great job tonight. He was going to need to give her extra TLC for that tonight.

With his bow safely kept in her case, Clint took the purple scarf hidden inside and wrapped it around his neck. It kept him warm. Although what he said to Coulson was true, he didn’t feel cold, at least not yet, he wasn’t opposed to the idea of getting warm.

Besides, the scarf was a gift from Phil and it’d be a shame not to use it. His feelings had nothing to do with the fact that he used it every opportunity he could. He was just being practical.

"Henderson, on your six there’s a dark-colored box. Maybe it’s a safe." Clint spoke into his comm, his voice a little distorted because of the scarf.

His gaze fell to Phil Coulson, the man was wearing nothing but his suit. He must be freezing out there. It was still snowing lightly after all, he wondered, not for the first time, how a man like him could make Clint feel emotions he’s never dreamed of when he was a child.

Maybe it was the way Phil always praised him even for the little things. Maybe it was the way Phil took his word seriously and trusted his judgement. Maybe it was the way Phil’s laughter reached his eyes and you just know that everything about the man is genuine. Maybe it was the fact that Phil never told him anything he wasn’t sure was true. Maybe it was those beautiful eyes.

Clint Barton had been in love with his handler, Phil Coulson, as long as he could remember but even he isn’t stupid enough to think he had a chance.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/107611065001/i-had-a-weird-dream-during-my-nap-arent-you)


End file.
